Apparatus for securing sheathing to panel frames

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided for securing sheathing to panel frames which combines a battery of pneumatic nailing devices with conveyor means for moving the panel and sheathing assembly longitudinally and pneumatic means for moving the nailing devices transversely with respect to the panel and sheathing assembly.

waited States Patent [1 1 Bowers, Jr. Early 3, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FOR SECURING SHEATHIN 2513337123 213 IPVinteris 227/100 nce, r....

T0 PANEL FRAMES 2,121,821 6/1938 Paxton 227/44 X [76] Inventor: Grayson Hunter Bowers, Jr., Sixth and East Sts., Frederick, Md. 21701 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr.

[22] Filed Sept 1971 An0rneyClelle W. Upchurch [21] Appl. No.: 183,567

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 25,563, April 8,

1970, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 227/100 [51] Int. Cl. 1327f 7/02 [58] Field of Search 227/7, 44, 99, 100, 227/152 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,261,527 7/1966 Sterner 227/7 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus is provided for securing sheathing to panel frames which combines a battery of pneumatic nailing devices with conveyor means for moving the panel and sheathing assembly longitudinally and pneumatic means for moving the nailing devices transversely with respect to the panel and sheathing assembiy.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJuL .3 1913 same or 3 APPARATUS FOR SECURING SHEATIIING T PANEL FRAMES This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 25,563, filed Apr. 8, 1970, now abancloned.

The present invention relates to apparatus for securing sheathing to panel frames and more specifically to apparatus combining a battery of pneumatic nailing devices adapted to be moved transversely with means for supporting a panel frame with sheating thereon so that it may be moved longitudinally into operable relationship with the nailing devices which serve to attach the sheathing to the frame.

It is advantageous in the construction industry to fabricate components of a building in a manufacturing plant to reduce costs at the building site. It is a practice to manufacture panel frames in a shop and such frames often require sheathing or siding. It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus whereby the sheathing or siding may be nailed or stapled to the structural elements of a panel frame while the frame is supported on a conveyor which serves to facilitate movement of the panel frames into the presence of the nailing apparatus and to move frames therefrom.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a battery of nailing or stapling devices which may be moved into engagement with the sheathing while the panel frame is supported on a conveyor, to provide means for activating the nailing or stapling devices, to provide means whereby the nailing or stapling devices may be shifted laterally or transversely of the conveyor to apply nails or staples at locations spaced from the first applied nails or staples, and to provide means for moving the panel frame and sheathing longitudinally under the nailing or stapling devices.

Other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated and become apparent as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the Drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view looking from right to left in FIG. 3 of an embodiment of the apparatus illustrating a panel in place below nailing devices;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a panel illustrating sheathing applied to frame elements.

Referring now to the drawing, an upright member is provided at one side of the apparatus and a similar upright 11 is provided at the other side. A base structure 12 serves to maintain each of the upright members 10 and 11 in erect position and suitable bracing 14 may be employed to maintain the uprights in vertical positions. A manifold 16 adapted to receive a relatively large volume of air under pressure is connected to the upper ends of the upright members 10 and 11. Air under pressure may be supplied into the manifold 16 through a pipe fitting indicated at 17.

A conveyor mechanism is provided in association with the apparatus. A plurality of longitudinally spaced rollers 21 are supported by side rail members 22 and 23 which are disposed substantially perpendicularly to manifold 16. These rail members may be supported at their forward ends with vertical members 73 and are rigidly secured to transverse members 29 which are rigidly secured to opposite sides of members 10 and 11. The conveyor formed of rail members 22 and 23 and rollers 21 may be of any desired length so that a panel frame 26 and with sheathing 27 thereon may be supported on the rollers 21. The panel frame may thus be moved into position over rollers 21 under the manifold 16. A plurality of panel guides or abutment members 28 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are supported on the transversely extending members 29 positioned under the manifold 16. The members 28 support the intermediate portion of the frame 26 and provide abutments when the nails are driven downwardly into the sheathing 27 and the elements or cross members 43 of the frame.

A plurality of nailing or stapling devices 31 are mounted on transverse members 32 and 33 which are spaced to span the upright members 10 and 11. The transverse members 32 and 33 are supported at their ends by strut members 36 and 37. The lower end of the strut member 36 is rigidly attached to a bifurcated bracket 35 which spans the upright member 10. The lower end of the strut member 37 is rigidly secured to a bifurcated bracket 30 which spans the upright member 11. A pair of pneumatic cylinders 38 and 39 in the extended positions raise brackets 30 and 35 and the transverse members 32 and 33 to a position as shown in FIG. 1. When the cylinders 38 and 39 are actuated to the retracted positions the strut members 36 and 37 and the transverse members 32 and 33 move downwardly whereby the lower ends of the nailing or stapling devices 31 engage the sheathing 27. A plurality of short bars 41 carried by the transverse members 32 and 33 serve to engage the sheathing 27 and hold it in position on the frame elements 43 of the panel frame 26. The staplesor nails are driven through the sheathing -27 into the frame elements 43 when air from the manifold 16 is admitted to the nailing devices 31 through the flexible tubes 40. Any suitable valve arrangement may be provided for controlling admission of air to the guns 31.

The end portions of the transverse members 32 and 33 span the upright members 10 and 11 as shown in FIG. 3. A pneumatic cylinder 51 (FIG. 1) is attached to the upright member 10 so that the stapling devices and the transverse members 32 and 33 may be moved to the right from the position shown in FIG. 1. The nailing devices may then be lowered to apply nails or staples at positions differing from those which were applied while the nailing devices 31 were in the position at the left in FIG. 1. The nails or staples are applied intermediate the nails or staples which were first driven through the sheathing. Thus when the stapling guns or nailing devices are spaced from each other by approximately 6 inches, the nails or staples may nevertheless be applied spaced from each other at 3 inch intervals.

One end of each of bracing members 13 and 15 is rigidly secured to one of transverse members 29 near its midpoint and the opposite ends are secured near the lower ends of vertical members 10 and 11, respectively. Upright leg members 18 and 19 have a common base rigidly secured to the floor and are disposed forwardly of transverse members 29. A sprocket wheel 20 is rigidly secured to shaft 24 which is journaled for rotation in openings in spaced upright members 18 and 19.

A sprocket wheel 25 is rigidly secured to a shaft 34 which is journaled for rotation in openings in spaced upright members 44 and 45.

Rail member 49 is rigidly secured at one end to upright member 19 and is secured to the upper surface of members 29. Rail member 49 extends beyond members 29 to a point back of and below devices 31. A cross bar 72 is secured at one end to rail 49 and at its opposite end to a similar rail 52 which supports upright member 50. Chain guide runner 51 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to rail member 49. Rail member 52 is rigidly secured at one of its ends to upright member 44 and extends across transverse members 29 to a point below and behind stapling devices 31 where it is secured to an end of cross bar 72. A short upright member 53 is rigidly secured to cross bar 72 to support shaft 54. C-shaped cain guide member 55 is rigidly secured to rail member 53.

A sprocket wheel 46 is rigidly secured to one end of shaft 54 and a sprocket wheel 56 is rigidly secured to the opposite end of shaft 54. The ends of shaft 54 are journaled in bearings 57 and 58 in openings in upright members 50 and 53. A sprocket chain 59 is looped about sprocket wheels and 46 with its upper reach of the loop supported by chain guide 51. A sprocket chain 60 is looped about sprocket wheels and S6 with its upper reach supported by chain guide 55.

A sprocket wheel 61 is rigidly secured to shaft 54. A sprocket wheel 62 is rigidly secured to the shaft of a motor 63 and a sprocket chain 64 is looped about the two sprocket wheels 61 and 62.

Mounting plate 65 is rigidly secured at its ends to upright members 66 and 67 which are supported by transverse member 68 rigidly secured to braces 13 and 15. Suitable solenoid valves are provided for activating the air cylinders and pneumatic clutch 69. A suitable switch activates the chain drive mechanism through the electric motor 63 and clutch 69 to feed the panel into position with a member 43 below devices 31. A spring loaded panel guide 70 keeps the panel in line and a marker on the guide permits the operator to stop the panel at the desired stapling points. As shown in FIG. 1, the panel frame member 26 is disposed against the end of guide 70 to position the panel assembly properly under fastener driving members 31. The direction of feed of panel 27 can be reversed by reversing the chain drive through motor 63 and clutch 69.

The shaft on which guide 70 pivots has a spring coiled thereabout to urge the guide 70 into the position shown in FIG. 1. When the direction of longitudinal travel of the panel is reversed so the panel moves from the right to left of FIG. 3, guide 70 can be pivoted until it does not interfere with the panel. The marker carried by guide 70 may be a small piece of sheet metal having it's lower edge welded to the upper surface of guide 70 and with its longitudinal axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of guide 70.

In operating the apparatus, a frame 26 is loosely assembled with a suitable sheathing 27 and the assembly is placed on conveyors 21 and sprocket chains 59 and 60. Te chain drive is activated through motor 63 and clutch 69 to move panel assembly into position under nailing devices 31. The spring loaded guide 70 keeps the panel assembly in line. The nail marker on guide 70 permits the operator to stop the panel assembly in the proper position under nailing devices 31.

Air cylinders 38 and 39 are activated to lower the devices 31 until they contact the exposed surface of sheathing 27. Members 28 support the assembly. Devices 31 are activated by compressed air through manifold 16. The nailing devices are then lifted from sheathing 27 by again activating pneumatic cylinders 38 and 39. Pneumatic cylinder 51 may be activated to move the devices 31 either to the left or right depending upon the original position thereof with respect to the panel assembly during the first nailing step. Nailing devices are again lowered into place over the sheating 27 by activating cylinders 38 and 39. Nailing devices 31 are again activated to drive nails through sheathing 27 into frame 26. Te process may be repeated until the sheating has been nailed to each of the members 43 and side railings of frame 26.

While the invention has been described with reference to particular structural features and with regard to one overall assembly, it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the components together with changes in the overall organization. Such modification and others may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for attaching sheathing to a panel frame which comprises upright members spaced from each other, a transverse member having end portions spanning the respective upright members, a plurality of pneumatic fastener driving members supported by said transverse member, a manifold, a flexible tubing adapted to convey fluid under pressure from the manifold to each driving member, means for supporting a panel frame with sheathing thereon below said driving members comprising a pair of transversely spaced conveyors having longitudinally spaced rollers adapted to support the panel frame and sheathing along each side thereof, a pair of transversely spaced sprocket chains looped about longitudinally spaced sprocket wheels and disposed between said conveyors with their upper reaches positioned to contact the underside of the panel frame while it is supported on the conveyors, the longitudinal axis of the loop being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rollers, means for rotating said sprocket wheels and sprocket chains to move the panel frame and sheathing longitudinally under the said driving members, means carried by said transverse member adjacent each driving member for engaging and holding the sheathing against the panel frame underlying the sheathing, means attached to one of said upright members comprising an air cylinder for shifting the said driving members transversely over the panel frame, and means for supplying air under pressure to the manifold and to said cylinders.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sprocket wheels and a third sprocket wheel are rigidly secured to a common shaft, and a sprocket chain is looped about the third sprocket chain and a sprocket wheel rigidly secured to the shaft of a motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 having a pneumatic clutch adapted to activate the chain drive.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising transversely spaced supporting members disposed between said roller conveyors.

i it! t I III 

1. An apparatus for attaching sheathing to a panel frame which comprises upright members spaced from each other, a transverse member having end portions spanning the respective upright members, a plurality of pneumatic fastener driving members supported by said transverse member, a manifold, a flexible tubing adapted to convey fluid under pressure from the manifold to each driving member, means for supporting a panel frame with sheathing thereon below said driving members comprising a pair of transversely spaced conveyors having longitudinally spaced rollers adapted to support the panel frame and sheathing along each side thereof, a pair of transversely spaced sprocket chains looped about longitudinally spaced sprocket wheels and disposed between said conveyors with their upper reaches positioned to contact the underside of the panel frame while it is supported on the conveyors, the longitudinal axis of the loop being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rollers, means for rotating said sprocket wheels and sprocket chains to move the panel frame and sheathing longitudinally under the said driving members, means carried by said transverse member adjacent each driving member for engaging and holding the sheathing against the panel frame underlying the sheathing, means attached to one of said upright members comprising an air cylinder for shifting the said driving members transversely over the panel frame, and means for supplying air under pressure to the manifold and to said cylinders.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sprocket wheels and a third sprocket wheel are rigidly secured to a common shaft, and a sprocket chain is looped about the third sprocket chain and a sprocket wheel rigidly secured to the shaft of a motor.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 having a pneumatic clutch adapted to activate the chain drive.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising transversely spaced supporting members disposed between said roller conveyors. 